A so-called annular eclipse of the sun occurs this Saturday but the regions with the grandstand view of it are all located in the sparsely-populated extreme latitudes of the North Atlantic, astronomers say.

The Member for Port Macquarie, Robert Oakeshott, says he is keenly awaiting the release of the Hastings Council's airport masterplan, and once he has the document he plans to mount a campaign to upgrade the airport and extend the runway.